Wagering Game with Overlying Transmissive Display for Providing Enhanced Game Features

Abstract

A gaming machine for conducting a wagering game includes a game display. A transmissive display is positioned in front of the game display directly in the player's line of sight including game-play regions at which symbols appear and regions above, below, between, and to the sides the game-play regions. The transmissive display is operable to selectively display transparent, translucent and opaque video images over the game display. The transparent, translucent and opaque video images may be used to change, for example, a play mechanic associated with the wagering game and any reel symbols associated with wagering game. The transmissive display may also be used to provide interactive player control and player selection elements for the wagering game and to facilitate player inputs to the gaming machine. The transmissive display may be further used to provide bonus features associated with a bonus game played at the gaming machine.

1 . A method of conducting a wagering game, comprising:
 receiving a wager input from a player for playing the wagering game;   in response to receiving the wager input, displaying symbols on a plurality of reels to indicate a randomly selected outcome that is selected from a plurality of outcomes;   in response to displaying a variable multiplier symbol at a symbol location on one of the plurality of reels, displaying a multiplier value associated with the variable multiplier symbol on a video image overlaying the symbol location; and   in response to the variable multiplier symbol being part of a winning symbol combination of the randomly selected outcome, providing a payout to the player that is a function of the multiplier value displayed on the video image.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of reels are mechanical reels. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the winning symbol combination is indicated along an active payline extending through symbol locations including the symbol location with the variable multiplier symbol. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the multiplier value is initially hidden on the video image and is revealed after player input to a touch screen located in front of the plurality of reels. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the multiplier value is initially hidden on the video image by a scratch-off icon, the scratch-off icon disappearing in response to a player input on the touch screen adjacent to the scratch-off icon. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the video image is displayed by a transmissive display located in front of the plurality of reels. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of reels are video reels. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the multiplier value is randomly assigned for each spin of the plurality of reels. 
   
   
       9 . A method of conducting a wagering game, comprising:
 receiving a wager input from a player for playing the wagering game;   in response to receiving the wager input, displaying symbols on a plurality of reels to indicate a randomly selected outcome that is selected from a plurality of outcomes;   in response to a certain condition being met, displaying a multiplier symbol to be applied to the randomly selected outcome, the multiplier symbol being displayed on a transmissive display overlaying the plurality of reels and indicating a multiplier value; and   in response to the randomly selected outcome being a winning symbol combination, providing a payout to the player that is a function of the multiplier value displayed on the transmissive display.   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of reels are mechanical reels. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the winning symbol combination is indicated along an active payline extending through symbol locations, the multiplier symbol being located over a symbol location. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the multiplier symbol is depicted as a variable-multiple symbol that indicates one of a plurality of multiplier values. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the multiplier symbol is located in a region outside of a game-play region at which the plurality of reels are displayed. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the multiplier symbol is located on a video wheel that undergoes simulated rotation, an indicator associated with the video wheel indicates the multiplier symbol from among a plurality of other symbols on the rotating wheel. 
   
   
       15 . A gaming machine, comprising:
 a primary game display for displaying a plurality of symbol-bearing reels for indicating randomly selected outcomes of a wagering game, at least one symbol on the plurality of symbol-bearing reels being a variable multiplier symbol; and   a secondary game display operable to provide a multiplier value overlying a symbol location containing the variable multiplier symbol, the multiplier value being displayed as a video image overlaying the symbol location, the player receiving a payout from the wagering game that is a function of the multiplier value displayed on the secondary display.   
   
   
       16 . The gaming machine of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of symbol-bearing reels are a plurality of mechanical reels. 
   
   
       17 . The gaming machine of  claim 15 , wherein the video image of the multiplier value is animated when displayed on the secondary game display. 
   
   
       18 . The gaming machine of  claim 15 , wherein the secondary game display is a flat panel transmissive display overlaying the primary game display. 
   
   
       19 . The gaming machine of  claim 15 , wherein the multiplier value is initially hidden on the video image and is revealed after player input to a touch screen located in front of the plurality of symbol-bearing reels. 
   
   
       20 . The gaming machine of  claim 15 , wherein the multiplier value is randomly assigned for each spin of the plurality of symbol-bearing reels.